Prefabricated wall construction



Feb. 22, 1955 E. H. KAMISATO PREFABRICATED WALL CONSTRUCTION Ernest H. Kamisafo IN V EN TOR. mm

Filed April 8, 1954 United States Patent PREFABRICATED WALL CONSTRUCTION Ernest H. Kamisato, Kaneohe, Territory of Hawaii Application April 8, 1954, Serial No. 421,909

2 Claims. (Cl. -2)

This invention relates in general to improvements in building construction, and more specifically to a prefabricated wall construction for frame housings.

Although there have been made many advances in prefabricated house construction all of the advances have been directed toward rigid frame structures of a type normally found in cooler climates. However, no attempt has been made to devise prefabricated house constructions which would be applicable to the tropics. It is to be understood that in the tropics one spends a major portion of his time out of doors and a home is primarily required as a shelter and a living area for privacy and against the elements other than heat and cold. It is therefore possible to form houses for tropical use with a minimum of materials.

Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a prefabricated wall construction which is of such a nature whereby it will be suitable for tropical house construction and at the same time is of such a nature whereby it may be both easily and quickly produced and easily placed in position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved prefabricated wall construction which is of such a nature whereby the wall construction may be secured in place on conventional foundation structure with a minimum of adaptation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a prefabricated building construction which is of such a nature whereby the connection between a prefabricated wall and the foundation structure is both rigid and at the same time is concealed by flooring of the building.

A further object of this invention is to provide a prefabricated wall construction which is of such a nature whereby the wall construction forms both the exterior and interior surface of a wall and at the same time is formed with the barest minimum of materials.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through a prefabricated house utilizing the prefabricated wall construction which is the subject of this invention and shows the general details thereof, a roof structure being shown in phantom lines and an intermediate portion of the prefabricated wall construction being omitted;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view on a smaller scale of the inner surface of a corner of the prefabricated wall construction in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view on a smaller scale of the foundation of the building of Figure 1 ready for the positioning of the prefabricated wall construction of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated a prefabricated house construction which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The house construction 10 includes a horizontally disposed sill member 12 which is supported at spaced intervals on posts 14 which are driven or otherwise secured in the ground. Extending longitudinally of the sill member 12 is an upstanding sill plate 16. The sill plate 16 is so positioned on the sill member 12 so as to have the outer surface thereof coplanar with the outer surface of the sill member 12.

Inasmuch as the sill plate 16 is much narrower than the sill member 12, there is provided suflicient room on the upper surface of the sill member 12 to permit the seating of ends of floor joists 18. The upper corners of the floor joists 18 are notched as at 20 so as to provide a surface 22 which is coplanar with the upper surface of the sill plate 16. It is to be understood that the sill member 12, the sill plate 16 and the joists 18 are to be secured together by nails (not shown) in the customary manner.

in order to greatly facilitate the assembly of the building 10, there is provided a prefabricated wall panel which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 24. The prefabricated wall panel 24 includes the horizontally disposed top plate 26 and a similarly disposed bottom plate 28. The top plate 26 is in spaced parallel relation with respect to the bottom plate 28. Extending vertically are boards 30 which have their upper end portions secured to the top plate 26 by nails 32. it will be noted that the boards 30 terminate flush with the upper surface of the top plate 26. Intermediate portions of the boards 30 are also secured to the bottom plate 28 by nails 34. It will be noted that the boards 30 extend downwardly below the bottom plate 28.

inasmuch as the boards 30 are intended to form both the exterior surface and the interior surface of a wall of a building construction 10, it is preferred that the boards 38 be of a tongue and groove construction. However, if such boards are not available square cut boards which may be fully edge abutted may be utilized.

While the wall panel 24 has been illustrated and described as being formed of individual boards, it will be understood that if it is so desired the boards 30 may be replaced by plywood or other suitable sheets of material.

After the floor joists 18 have been properly positioned, if desired they may be covered by flooring 36. However, it is not necessary that the flooring 36 be applied at this time but may be if desired so as to provide a suitable walking surface for workmen.

The wall panel 24 is then lifted in place at one side of the building. When properly positioned, the bottom plate 28 overlies and rests upon both the surface 22 and the upper surface of the sill plate 16. The bottom plate 28 is secured to the sill plate 16 by nails 38 and to the joists 18 by nails 40.

When the wall panel 24 is properly positioned, the depending portions of the boards 30 extend below the sill plate 16 and are in abutting engagement with the outer surfaces of the sill plate 16 and the sill member 12. The lower portions of the boards 30 are suitably secured to the sill member 12 by nails 42.

Carried by the outer surface of the sill member 12 at the lower edge thereof is an outwardly projecting water table 44. The water table 44 is generally trapezoidal in cross section and includes an inwardly and outwardly sloping upper surface 46. The lower ends of the boards 30 are bevelled as at 48 to correspond to the slope of the upper surface of the water table 44. When properly positioned, the boards 30 have their lower ends in abutting engagement with the upper surface of the water table 44.

After the wall panel 24 has been positioned and secured in place, the flooring of the building is completed by the addition of the flooring strip 50. Then a suitable floor covering 52 may be secured in place if so desired.

Although they have not been illustrated, it is preferable that corner posts be provided for the building construction 10. The corner posts will reinforce the ends of the wall panel 24 so that portions of a load from a roof construction 54 may be transmitted from the top plate 26 to the corner posts in lieu of the boards 30 taking all of the weight of the roof construction 54.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been illustrated and described a fabricated building construction which includes a fabricated wall formed primarily of a fabricated wall panel which is highly suitable for use in tropical homes and which with a minimum of material and labor will form a relatively strong and desirable building construction.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since iifi'inerous "mb'difiatio'fi's and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable'fnodifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appendediclairn's.

What is claimed as new is as-follows:

1. A prefabricated wall construction comprising an elongated top plate, an elongated bottom plate disposed in's'paced parallel relation to said top plate, vertical boards disposed in edge abutting relation, upper ends of said boards being secured to said top-plate, lower portions of said boards being secured tosaid bottom plate, said boards forming innerand outer wall surfaces, said boards having lower ends, depending below said bottom plate, a *sill member, said lower-ends being secured to said sill'm'ernher in abutting relation, upstanding sill l-plate resting on said =si1l member, said sill plate being in abutting en-gagement with said boards, said bottom plate resting on said "sill plate and being secured thereto, -fioorijoists having-end portions resting 'on said sill member, ends of "said joists abuttingsa'id sill plate, uppe'r'corners of said joists being notched, said bottom plate having portions seated in said notches, upper edges of saidjoists being coplanar with an upper surface of -said bottom plate.

2. A prefabricated wall construction comprising an elongated top plate, an elongated bottom plate disposed in spaced pa'rall'l relation-to 'said'top la'te, vertical boards disposed in edge abutting relation, upper ends of said boards being secured to said top plate, lower portions 0f said boards being secured to said bottom plate, said boards forming inner and outer wall surfaces, said boards having lower ends depending below said bottom plate, a sill member, said lower ends beingsecured to said sill member in abutting relation, an upstanting sill plate resting on said sill member, said isi-ll plate being in abutting engagement with said boards, said bottom plate resting on said sill plate "and being seenr'edrtrerero, fi'oor joists having-end portions resting on said sill member, ends of said joists abutting said sill plate, upper corners of said joists being n'o'tched, Said bot'toir't plate having portions seated in said notches, upper edges of said joists being coplanar with an upper surface of said plate, and flooring overlying said bottom plate and said joists and secured thereto.

R'cfet'eilb'es Cited ans-e file at this patent T'STK'IES .PA rTaNTs 

